New safety guidelines will be put into effect for the upcoming Smithville Fiddlers' Jamboree & Crafts Festival as Fire Chief Charlie Parker said it is safety first when it comes to the thousands of people who will descend on downtown July 5-6.
The fire chief told members of the city board of mayor and aldermen that he has reached out to food vendors so they will not be surprised when they arrive for the festival. Those cooking and using heat sources will have to be permitted by the city before they can set up shop downtown for the Jamboree.
"To comply with the fire safety codes, regulations and the interest of safety, the City of Smithville Fire Department will be requiring a Commercial Outdoor Food Vender First Safety Permit on all mobile or temporary commercial outdoor cooking trucks, trailers, tents or temporary structures within the corporate limits of Smithville as of June 15, 2019.” said Smithville Fire Chief Charlie Parker. The safety guidelines are available to view on the Jamboree website at www.fiddlersjamboree.com.
According to Sam Stout, President and Director of the Jamboree, organizers are on board with the plan for stricter safety enforcement.
"The State of Tennessee has issued new requirements for festivals, and the Jamboree is working with Fire Chief Charlie Parker, and his team, to make sure that the upcoming festival food vendors will be compliant and capable to meet the new safety rules." Stout said. "These guidelines have been put into place for the safety of the food vendors, in addition to the festival attendees and downtown businesses. We appreciate the hard work of Chief Parker, along with his team, who have worked alongside us to make sure that we will be in compliance and ready by festival time."
With the addition of the new safety guidelines, which include mapping and booth spacing changes, the Jamboree has extended their not-for-profit deadlines for food vendors until May 15. Following that date, any remaining food booths will be offered to 'for profit' vendors, as is the usual process.
"The Jamboree has a long tradition of reaching out to our local civic groups, charities, and non-profits giving them the first opportunity to reserve a booth space at the festival,” said Shan Williams, Director of Marketing for The Smithville Fiddlers' Jamboree, “Many of our non-profits partner with an established commercial food vendor while receiving a percentage of the profits. I urge the local community attendees to look for signage, even on the commercial food booths, to see whom you may be supporting. It's a wonderful way to have a great time with your friends and family while supporting your favorite local organization. In addition to food booths, Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital will be providing the 40x60 dining tent which will include a novelty food section in the adjoining lot." "We would love to have any local adults, businesses, or students needing TN Promise hours to reach out to us for a 2 or 4 hour shift to help manage the dining tent."
For questions concerning food vendor information, craft booths, volunteering opportunities, or for more information, check out the Smithville Fiddlers' Jamboree FaceBook Page, website, email: info@fiddlersjamboree.com or call the Jamboree office at 615-597-8500.
The permits are not just for the Jamboree, the fire chief noted. Anyone planning to do commercial cooking in the downtown area will be required to get a permit going forward, regardless of what time of year.
